Jury cites self-defense in case that gripped Northern Colorado community
LOVELAND, Colo. — A Larimer County jury has found Heather Cushman not guilty of second-degree murder in the 2025 stabbing death of her father, John “Clint” Cushman, bringing a highly emotional case to a close.
The Loveland Police Department originally arrested Cushman after she called authorities in September 2025 to report she had stabbed her father in his home. Officers arrived to find Clint Cushman deceased from multiple stab wounds, and prosecutors charged Heather Cushman with second-degree murder, a class two felony.
The seven-day trial, led by Chief Deputy District Attorney Brian Hardouin and Deputy District Attorney Leeah Lechuga, began September 2. While Cushman’s role in her father’s death was undisputed, her defense centered on claims of self-defense. Jurors deliberated and ultimately determined that prosecutors had not proven their case beyond a reasonable doubt…